Neumünster (Zurich)

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Neumünster Church from the south

The Neumünster is an Evangelical Reformed church building in the Zurich district of Riesbach . The Neumünster Church is located at Neumünsterstrasse 10 southwest of Hegibachplatz. Neumünster was also the name of the parish until the end of 2018, which extended over the present-day city quarters of Seefeld , Riesbach and parts of Hirslanden ; since 2019 it has been part of the newly created parish of Zurich .

Building history

In 1834, the Reformed residents of Riesbach, Hottingen and Hirslanden no longer wanted to travel the long way to the Grossmünster to attend church services. The Grand Council of Zurich allowed pastor Johann Jakob Füssli to re-establish his own parish, whereupon a joint-stock company was established for the construction of the Neumünster church, which is differentiated from the Grossmünster. A democratic vote was taken on the location of the new church, so that the church stood on the flat Zelgli hill. An unlimited competition for the construction of the church was opened in August 1834, which caused a sensation in wide architectural circles. Participation was lively, with both older classical architects ( Hans Caspar Escher , Hans Conrad Stadler , Johann Caspar Vögeli) and younger, more historically oriented architects ( Melchior Berri , Leonhard Zeugheer , Ferdinand Stadler ) taking part. Zeugheer won first prize with a neo-Gothic project, followed by Johann Caspar Vögeli and Ferdinand Stadler, known for his later church buildings.

Zeugheer's choice of the neo-Gothic style was noteworthy in that the Gothic was considered a Catholic style because of the many existing old churches. Regardless of its victory, the project met with resistance, and in order to maintain the execution of the building, the Zeusheer had to rework the plans in the classical sense. The modified project was implemented from 1836 to 1839. In 1880 the organ gallery was enlarged by Otto Wolff; the pulpit was also moved to the west wall. In 1902 the first exterior renovation took place under Gustav Hirzel-Koch. In 1912 the interior of the church was completely renewed by Alfred Friedrich Bluntschli , which a plaque at the entrance still reminds of today. The church was redesigned in the late historical style, with the church receiving an oriental painting on the ceiling and walls as well as floor mosaics and the windows were framed by stucco surrounds. A total renovation was carried out from 1976 to 1978 by Peter Germann and Georg Stulz, and in 1996 the exterior of the church, especially the church tower, was renovated.

Building description

Exterior and bells

Photo from 1875, view of the lower lake basin (area of ​​today's botanical garden), Neumünster church on the right

The Neumünster is a rectangular, five-axis hall building that is located on the Zelglihügel, a small hill that was once free, but is now surrounded by villas from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Three flights of stairs lead from Neumünsterstrasse to the church, the main entrance is determined by a monumental flight of stairs. The church is surrounded by a park that is planted with false cypresses and linden trees. To the east of the Neumünster Church there was once the Neumünster cemetery, which has now been converted into a park.

Corner buildings are placed in front of the narrow sides of the church. The late Classicist main facade has three portals and is rhythmized by columns and pilasters . The church tower rises above the middle, slightly protruding portal , which is divided into a cube-shaped mezzanine, a slender floor with a clock and an octagonal top floor. The side fronts are structured by tall, narrow rectangular windows.

With its striking front tower, the Neumünster is inspired by English classicism, especially by the Church of St. Pancras in London and the Church of St. Peter in Regent. The Reformed Church Heiden and the Reformed Church Wattwil , both of which were built by Felix Wilhelm Kubly a few years after the Neumünster Zurich, are likely to have been influenced by the Neumünster Zurich.

The tower hides a five-part chime:

number volume Caster Casting year
1 H ° Jakob Keller, Unterstrass 1838
2 dis' Jakob Keller, Unterstrass 1838
3 fis' Jakob Keller, Unterstrass 1838
4th g sharp ' Rüetschi, Aarau 1955
5 H' Jakob Keller, Unterstrass 1838

Interior and equipment

The interior was kept sober until the church was redesigned in 1912. Since the late historical redesign under Alfred Friedrich Bluntschli, the rectangular hall has been furnished in accordance with the zeitgeist of the time. Opposite the main portal is the pulpit wall, above which the gallery and the organ prospect rise. A coffered ceiling completes the interior. In the stairways to the tower gallery there are two paintings that deal with the Transfiguration at the Tabor and The Prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Getsemane . The first painting is by Konrad Zeller from 1839, the second by R. Münger from 1916.

Organs

Earlier organs

In 1840 the first organ for the Neumünster was built by Friedrich Haas , Lucerne. The instrument had 36 stops on 3 manuals including a pedal . The organ prospectus originally had a white and gold version. Over the years this first organ has undergone some changes, e.g. B. in 1860 it already had 39 registers. In 1881 the instrument was rebuilt by organ builder Friedrich Goll, Lucerne, the successor to Friedrich Haas. In addition to changes to the prospectus, the organ was given a new version of calibration paint (imitation oak). In 1912 another renovation was carried out by Orgelbau Goll & Cie, Lucerne. The action was pneumatized , the windchest replaced and the prospectus got the original, white and gold version again. The disposition may also have been changed. In 1918 Goll & Cie, Lucerne carried out further modifications and presumably also changes to the disposition.

With a view to the 100th anniversary of the Neumünster parish, it was decided in 1939 to purchase a new organ. In 1940 the new organ with electric action was built by Orgelbau Kuhn , Männedorf, with 50 stops on 3 manuals and pedal. This organ was built uncompromisingly in the style of the "new objectivity". The prospectus and the last remains of the Haas / Goll organ have been removed. In order to create a little more space for the new instrument, the more than 1.2 m thick gallery rear wall was sharpened by 40 cm. Nevertheless, the instrument had to be built very compactly. In the decades that followed, the organ underwent numerous changes, especially its sound. A replacement of this instrument in the medium term was necessary.

Old Tonhalle organ

When the old organ in the Tonhalle had to give way to a new one, Ursina Caflisch , the Neumünster organist at the time, successfully took the initiative to take over the Tonhalle organ in Neumünster. The old Tonhalle organ has been in the church since 1995. The instrument was built in 1872 by the organ builder Kuhn (Männedorf) for the Alte Tonhalle , implemented in 1895, rebuilt in 1927 and extensively restored in 1995. It has 52 stops on three manuals and a pedal. The Spieltrakturen are mechanically, the Registertrakturen electrically. The instrument is equipped with a 128-fold electronic typesetting system and a register crescendo .

I Hauptwerk C – g 3
1. Principal 16 ′
2. Principal 8th'
3. Covered 8th'
4th Viola di gamba 8th'
5. Flûte harmonique 8th'
6th Octave 4 ′
7th Hollow flute 4 ′
8th. Fifth 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
9. Octave 2 ′
10. Mixture maior V 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
11. Mixture minor IV 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′
12. Cornett IV-V 8th'
13. Bombard 16 ′
14th Trumpet 8th'
II threshold positive C-g 3
15th Bourdon 16 ′
16. Principal 8th'
17th Night horn 8th'
18th Dulciana 8th'
19th Principal 4 ′
20th Transverse flute 4 ′
21st violin 4 ′
22nd Piccolo 2 ′
23. Mixture IV-V 2 ′
24. Sesquialtera 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
25th Trumpet harm. 8th'
26th English horn 8th'
Tremulant
III Swell C – g 3
27. Lovely covered 16 ′
28. viola 8th'
29 Voix céleste 8th'
30th Reed flute 8th'
31. Viennese flute 8th'
32. Delicately covered 8th'
33. Principal 4 ′
34. recorder 4 ′
35. Fifth flute 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
36. Forest flute 2 ′
37. Third flute 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′
38. Basson 16 ′
39. Trumpet 8th'
40. oboe 8th'
41. Clairon 4 ′
Tremulant
Pedal C – f 1
42. Principal 32 ′
43. Principal 16 ′
44. Violon 16 ′
45. Sub bass 16 ′
46. Octave 8th'
47. Covered 8th'
48. violoncello 8th'
49. Octave 4 ′
50. trombone 16 ′
51. Trumpet 8th'
52. Clairon 4 ′

Personalities

Two nationally known pastors worked at the church: from 1898 to 1926 Hermann Kutter , one of the founders of religious socialism and a friend of Karl Barth and Emil Brunner , and from 1926 to 1958 Robert Lejeune , who was a religious socialist, art and literary critic, But above all he became known as a friend of Robert Musil , whom he supported considerably financially and at whose grave he gave a well-known speech. Elise Pfister also worked as a parish assistant at Neumünster from 1919 to 1944. In 1918 she was the first woman to be ordained a pastor in Switzerland, but in 1921 the Federal Court refused to approve the decision of the Zurich Synod to admit women to the pastor's office, which is why an election as a regular pastor was not possible.

The well-known organists at Neumünster include Alfred Baum , who was organist there from 1923 to 1980, and Ursina Caflisch (organist from 1980 to 2014). The current Neumünster organist is Anna-Victoria Baltrusch.

Events

Since 2007 blues / jazz concerts by the organizer allblues have been held in the church .

photos

  • View from the north

  • Attic base of the columns in front of the Neumünster

  • The entrance to the Neumünster Church in 2007

  • The church tower, view from the botanical garden

See also

literature

  • Building Construction Department of the City of Zurich: Reformed Churches of the City of Zurich. Special inventory. Zurich 2006.
  • Thomas Müller: The Reformed Church in Neumünster in Zurich-Riesbach. (= Swiss Art Guide, No. 954–955, Series 96). Edited by the Society for Swiss Art History (GSK). Bern 2014, ISBN 978-3-03797-162-8 .

Web links

Commons : Neumünsterkirche  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Website of the parish of Neumünster, section How it all began. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  2. ^ Building Department of the City of Zurich: Reformed Churches of the City of Zurich. Special inventory. Zurich 2006, p. 164.
  3. ^ Building Department of the City of Zurich: Reformed Churches of the City of Zurich. Special inventory. Zurich 2006, p. 166.
  4. ^ Building Department of the City of Zurich: Reformed Churches of the City of Zurich. Special inventory. Zurich 2006, pp. 164–165.
  5. ↑ Bells on YouTube. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  6. ^ Organ directory Switzerland and Liechtenstein, section Neumünster, former Zurich Tonhalle organ. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  7. ^ Organ portrait on the website of the builder company, accessed on December 21, 2014.
  8. ^ Website of the parish of Neumünster, section Current. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  9. ↑ See Zürcher Pfarrerbuch 1519–1952. On behalf of the Zurich church council, ed. v. Emanuel Dejung and Willy Wuhrmann. Schulthess, Zurich 1953, p. 405, and Robert Lejeune: Robert Musil. An appreciation. Oprecht, Zurich 1942.
  10. ^ Peter Aerne: Elise Pfister. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .
  11. ↑ Ursina Caflisch: the old Tonhalle organ in Neumünster Zurich. Retrieved January 6, 2018 .
  12. ^ Website of the parish of Neumünster, section music. Retrieved August 31, 2016.

Coordinates: 47 ° 21 '37.5 "  N , 8 ° 33' 30.5"  E ; CH1903:  six hundred eighty-four thousand five hundred ninety-seven  /  246111